Futuro Studios is the new creative division of Futuro Media. The team at Futuro Studios is led by Peabody Award-winning journalist Marlon Bishop on the editorial end and Julio Ricardo Varela on the business end.

So far, Futuro Studios projects include the following:

La Brega

Season 2

From WNYC Studios and Futuro Studios, this season expands season one’s exploration into the culture, history, and soul of the island, this time through one of its most-cherished exports: music. Hosted by Alana Casanova-Burgess, this season of “La Brega” looks at the Puerto Rican experience through eight iconic songs—taking us from the lyrical boleristas of the 1930s, to the electric salseros of the ’70s, to the reggaetoneros of today who have taken music from the margins and made it a global sensation. Available in English and Spanish. This season of “La Brega” was made possible by the Mellon Foundation.

Season 1

WNYC Studios and Futuro Studios present “La Brega: Stories of the Puerto Rican Experience”: a seven-part podcast series that uses narrative storytelling and investigative journalism to reflect and reveal how la brega has defined so many aspects of life in Puerto Rico. Available in English and Spanish.

Suave

The U.S is the only country in the world that allows minors to be sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. Approximately 2,500 juveniles have been effectively sentenced to die in prison—considered “irredeemable” by the state for crimes committed when they were just teenagers. One of them was David Luis “Suave” Gonzalez, who entered prison at 17 expecting to leave in a coffin. Suave tells the story of what happens when your whole world is a prison cell, and you suddenly get a second chance at life. It’s the story of one man’s incarceration and redemption and an unusual relationship between a journalist and a source.

La última copa/The Last Cup

What’s it like to be one of the world’s biggest soccer stars and doubted by many in your home country? That’s the question Lionel Messi faces in The Last Cup/La última copa. Not only is this year’s World Cup his last chance to bring home the coveted trophy—it’s his last chance for vindication. Hosted by Argentine journalist Jasmine Garsd, The Last Cup/La última copa is much more than a sports story. It’s a tale of immigration and race, of capitalism and class, of belonging and identity. A story for anyone who’s ever felt like an outsider in their own home.

The Sum of Us

On the heels of her bestselling book, Heather McGhee embarks on a road trip across Covid-era America, unearthing stories of American solidarity and hope in a time of great division and peril for our democracy. Join Heather as she travels from rural Maine to the California coast and everywhere in between, meeting extraordinary Americans who are crossing demographic, cultural, and political lines to build a better future for all of us.

LOUD: The History of Reggaeton

The true story of the young people from Jamaica, Panama, Puerto Rico and beyond who beat the odds, refused to be quiet and created an irresistible musical culture that has kept the world dancing. Join Ivy Queen, one of the founders of the genre.

Ídolo: The Ballad of Chalino Sánchez

Sonoro and Futuro Studios “Ídolo: The Ballad of Chalino Sánchez,” an 8-episode podcast that examines the extraordinary life of the Mexican singer-songwriter and attempts to unravel the mystery of his unsolved murder. Hosted by Erick Galindo in English and Alejandro Mendoza in Spanish.

Imagine if Frank Sinatra went on stage every night with a gun in his waistband. Or if Tupac got into a shootout on stage at a rodeo. Well, Chalino Sánchez did just that. In this podcast, we examine the extraordinary life of the “King of Corridos,” and attempt to unravel the mystery of his death. Chalino’s story, his own narcocorrido, is the ultimate ride through the drug cartel world, the underbelly of the Mexican-American music industry, and a murder mystery for the ages.

Anything For Selena

Maria Garcia was 9 years old and living on the U.S.-Mexico border when Selena was murdered. Twenty-five years later, Maria is on a quest to understand what it means to love, mourn and remember Selena. In this intimate journey, Maria explores what Selena’s legacy shows us about belonging in America. From WBUR and Futuro Studios.

Norco 80

Hosted by Antonia Cereijido, the podcast uses eyewitness testimony and never before heard police tapes, taking listeners on a wild ride and serving as a cautionary tale in the context of America being immersed in the middle of an economic crisis, revamped end of the world paranoia and a complex conversation about policing. A podcast in collaboration with LAist Studios.

Con Todo: Brown Love

Drawn out from the fictional world of the series Gentefied and brought into the Netflix universe, Brown Love is a weekly show that celebrates the multi-faceted US Latinx experience. Each week, host Dascha Polanco talks to Latinxs in Hollywood who are making space for Latinx communities to see themselves, and gets real on topics like machismo, Afro-Latinidad, self-care, comedy, and the first-generation experience.

The Battle for 187

In 1994 an anti-immigrant ballot initiative rocked the state of California. It turned the state into the progressive beacon it is today, but also paved the way for Donald Trump to be elected president. The Battle of 187 is hosted by award-winning reporter Gustavo Arellano and is a collaboration between the Los Angeles Times and Futuro Studios. This is California features thought-provoking, sound-rich stories about California and the West.

Radical Imagination

Racism, toxic inequality, persistent poverty, climate change: these are big serious problems, and if you believe they require big audacious solutions, then this is the podcast for you. Hosted by Angela Glover Blackwell, Founder-in-Residence at PolicyLink, Radical Imagination focuses on radical solutions to our society’s most pressing problems. It features conversations with thinkers and changemakers from multiple fields working to deliver equity wins at scale.Tune in to Radical Imagination, for stories and solutions that are fueling change.

TransLash Podcast with Imara Jones

With anti-trans violence and political backlash at all-time highs, award-winning journalist Imara Jones hosts the TransLash podcast, where trans people and allies talk back about what matters most and discuss how to create a fairer world for all.

To connect with the team at Futuro Studios, feel free to email Marlon here.